my steps in heaven 

 

this place was heaven on earth. this is the national park of lencois, in the state of maranhao. the park is 100% covered by the mile after mile of light coloured sand dunes, dotted throughout by fresh-water lakes created during the rain season which lasts from january to june. it is mile after mile of sand mountains, an amazing landscape of pure sand and crystal clear waters. the colours are amazing, vibrant and pure, blues and aquamarine greens, reflecting the perfectly blue sky and varying depending on the depth of water and any vegetation which grows in many of these lakes. generally, they are not very deep, and in many the water is absolutely clear. i had the awesome experience of diving into some of them, eyes wide open to a mesmerising display of rays of sunlight filtered through the water and reflected on the sandy sides and bottom of these bowl shaped lakes. one of my favourite experiences was to slide down a slope of sand, until i was half in the water, and half outside the water, lying back on the sand, my body at a 45 degree angle with the earth, half submerged in the water, half outside the water, the most perfect lazy chair, and absolutely peaceful. this place gets few, very few tourists, and there are no cities, no roads, nothing near it to spoil any of its pure essence.

 

if there is such a thing as dying and going to heaven, i hope heaven looks and feels something like this place. 

i took this photo from the middle of the lake. its quite an amazing feeling to be in fresh water in the midst of all the sand. amazing.

this is the view for miles. up and down up and down, and it is at the bottom between some of these sand moutains that i found the crystal water lakes. it is impossible to do this place justice. you have to see it for yourself to appreciate how special it is. i went on a 3 day trek, with a guide, through it, until a little outpost in the halfway point, along the sea. i understand it takes 8 days to cross it by foot, from one side to the other, that gives you an idea of its dimension. the only way to not get lost in this landscape is to keep the sea within sight. otherwise it is difficult to tell east from west, north from south (without a compass :-) ). 

this is an example of a freshewater lake between the sanddunes. some of these lakes seem to survive the dry season, and therefore support a type of vegetation which gives it texture and even life. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a mini sand storm. this is how, over many many years, sand dunes are created. you can actually see the process as it happens in some places, as sand settles along the edge of a new formation.

 

 

 

 

a local vasco da gama 

 

from early on they learn the trade of the seas.